1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information speech system for outputting information downloaded from a remote information station in a so-called mobile environment as speech.
2. Description of the Related Art
A system called xe2x80x9cMONETxe2x80x9d produced by TOYOTA MEDIA STATION is used in the mobile environment where a mobile information terminal, such as a personal digital assistant (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPDAxe2x80x9d), is used. In this system, the user selects desired information from a menu screen. Then, the system downloads the selected information from a remote information station, and outputs speech in a PDA. In this system, information necessary to display a menu (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cmenu informationxe2x80x9d) is first downloaded from the information station via a network by using a cellular phone or a personal handyphone system (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cPHSxe2x80x9d), and then the information selected by the user is downloaded.
However, this system has to connect with the network in order to download menu information. A certain period is required until the system is connected to the network with a cellular phone or a PHS, so that the user waits during that period. For the purpose of reducing communication costs, the system may be disconnected from the network after the menu information is downloaded. When the information to be downloaded is selected, the system is connected to the network again. Again, the user waits for the system to be connected to the network. In this manner, the user waits every connection.
Therefore, with the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide an information speech system that can reduce a waiting time of a user in a so-called mobile environment.
An information speech system of present invention includes an information terminal and a remote information station. In the information terminal, information to be obtained is selected among information stored in the remote information station and the obtained information is output as speech. The information station comprises broadcasting means for broadcasting menu information necessary to select information at the information terminal, a communication receiver for receiving communication including data corresponding to selected information from the information terminal, and an information transmitter for transmitting the selected information based on the data received by the communication receiver. The information terminal comprises a broadcast receiver for receiving broadcasting transmitted by the broadcasting means, an information selector for allowing a user to select information to be obtained by using the menu information included in the broadcasting, a communicator for communicating data corresponding to the selected information to the information station, an information receiver for receiving the information transmitted by the information transmitter, and speech outputting means for outputting the information received by the information receiver as speech.
Since menu information is transmitted to an information terminal by utilizing broadcasting in this embodiment, the time that the user waits for connection to the communication means can be reduced, compared to transmitting the menu information by utilizing radio communication with a cellular phone or a PHS.
In one embodiment of the information speech system of the present invention, the information station comprises a converter for converting information from character strings to phonetic character strings for outputting the character strings as speech. The information is stored in the information station in the form of phonetic character strings. The information transmitter transmits the information in the form of phonetic character strings. The speech outputting means in the information terminal converts the phonetic character strings to speech.
In order to output character string information as speech in an information terminal, it is necessary to convert the character string information to information representing speech (phonetic character string) to be output. In order to convert the character string information to the phonetic character string precisely, a variety of dictionary data are required. The embodiment as described above eliminates the necessity of storing an enormous amount of dictionary data in each information terminal and facilitates the maintenance of dictionary data.
In another embodiment of the information speech system of the present invention, the broadcasting means transmits the information including an identifier representing each information, character string information for displaying contents of each information on a menu, and character string information of an initial part of each information. The information terminal comprises an initial part storage for storing the character string information of the initial part of each information. The speech outputting means outputs the character string information stored in the initial part storage as speech, prior to reception of information of a part that is not stored in the initial part storage from the information station.
This embodiment makes it possible to output the initial part of the information as speech during a process of connecting to the communication means, so that the time that the user waits can be further reduced.
In still another embodiment of the information speech system of the present invention, the information station comprises a converter for converting information character strings to phonetic character strings for outputting the character strings as speech. The information is stored in the information station in the form of phonetic character strings. The broadcasting means transmits the character string information of the initial part in the form of phonetic character strings. The information transmitter transmits the information in the form of phonetic character strings. The speech outputting means in the information terminal converts the phonetic character strings to speech.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an information terminal for use in an information speech system including an information terminal and a remote information station, the information terminal selecting information to be obtained among information stored in the remote information station and outputting the obtained information as speech, comprises broadcast receiver for receiving broadcasting including menu information necessary to select information transmitted from the information station, an information selector for allowing a user to select information to be obtained by using the menu information included in the broadcasting, a communicator for communicating data corresponding to the selected information to the information station, an information receiver for receiving information transmitted from the information station based on the data communicated by the communicator, and speech outputting means for outputting the information received by the information receiver as speech.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium storing a program realizing an information terminal is provided. The terminal is used in an information speech system including an information terminal and a remote information station. In the information terminal, information to be obtained is selected among information stored in the remote information station and the obtained information is output as speech. The program comprises the steps of displaying menu information necessary to select information included in broadcasting transmitted from the information station, receiving a selection of information to be obtained from a user, communicating data corresponding to the selected information to the information station, receiving information transmitted from the information station based on the data communicated during the communicating step, and outputting the information received at the information receiving step as speech. For example, this is especially effective when an information terminal for general purposes is used.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying figures.